RURAL dwellers have set up a charitable trust to ensure that elderly neighbours can remain in their own homes for longer.

Older people in Upper Eskdale, on the North York Moors, faced moving miles away from friends and relatives to an urban environment when they were unable to care for themselves at home. Conventional home help is often unavailable in the remote area and older people usually had to move to towns such as Whitby.

Now residents have organised the Esk Moors Caring scheme, which brings together voluntary groups, a specialist housing provider and care workers.

The charitable company, set up by the villagers of Castleton and surrounding communities, will employ and train care workers to help elderly people in their homes.

Work will begin later this year to build a key element of the project, an extra care housing scheme, with self-contained flats, on-site facilities and increasing care as residents need it. The scheme will be run by the Abbeyfield UK care home chain.

North Yorkshire County Council will help to fund Esk Moors Caring.

The trust already runs some activities and rents the former butcher's shop in Castleton, renamed The Meet Shop, as an office and drop-in advice centre.

Keep fit and swimming lessons are being organised, winter emergency helpers are being enlisted in each village and minibus trips to lunch, the theatre and the cinema have begun.